1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a magnetically enhanced plasma apparatus and a method for operating such an apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Common in the art of microelectronic fabrication is the use of plasma chambers. Magnetically enhanced plasma chambers provide efficient etch methods and deposition methods for fabricating microelectronic circuits. Magnetically enhanced plasma chambers provide such efficiency insofar as they provide enhanced plasma density incident to magnetic field confinement of charged plasma species. However, in such magnetically enhanced plasma chambers it is sometimes difficult to control plasma uniformity and to provide enhanced ion energy.
It is thus towards the foregoing aspects of magnetically enhanced plasma chambers that the present invention is directed.
Various magnetically enhanced plasma apparatus and magnetically enhanced plasma methods having desirable properties have been disclosed in the art of microelectronic fabrication. Such apparatus and methods are often directed towards geometric factors of magnetic field confinement within magnetically enhanced plasma chambers. Related references include: (1) Plavidal et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,795; (2) Shan et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,022,446; and (3) Shan et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,232,236, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein fully by reference.
Desirable in the art of microelectronic fabrication are additional magnetically enhanced plasma apparatus and magnetically enhanced plasma methods which provide for enhanced plasma uniformity and enhanced ion energy control.
It is towards the foregoing that the present invention is directed.
A first aspect of the present invention is to provide a magnetically enhanced plasma apparatus and a magnetically enhanced plasma method.
A second aspect of the present invention is to provide a magnetically enhanced plasma apparatus and a magnetically enhanced plasma method in accord with the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the magnetically enhanced plasma apparatus and the magnetically enhanced plasma method provide enhanced plasma uniformity and enhanced ion energy control.
A third aspect of the present invention is to provide a magnetically enhanced plasma apparatus and a magnetically enhanced plasma method in accord with the first aspect of the present invention and the second aspect of the present invention, wherein the magnetically enhanced plasma apparatus is readily fabricated and the magnetically enhanced plasma method is readily commercially implemented.
In accord with the present invention, there is provided a magnetically enhanced plasma apparatus and a method for fabricating, for example, integrated circuits while employing the magnetically enhanced plasma apparatus.
In accord with the present invention, the magnetically enhanced plasma apparatus comprises a reactor chamber having assembled therein a platen. The magnetically enhanced plasma apparatus also comprises a radio frequency power source coupled to the reactor chamber. The magnetically enhanced plasma apparatus also comprises a plurality of magnetic field sources geometrically spaced surrounding and coupled to the reactor chamber. Finally, the magnetically enhanced plasma apparatus also comprises a controller which controls the radio frequency power source and the series of magnetic field sources such as to: (1) repetitively and geometrically selectively pulse from a first level to a second level a magnetic field within the reactor chamber; and (2) repetitively pulse from a first level to a second level a radio frequency power within the reactor chamber when repetitively and geometrically selectively pulsing from the first level to the second level the magnetic field within the reactor chamber.
The magnetically enhanced plasma apparatus of the present invention contemplates the method for fabricating integrated circuits while employing the magnetically enhanced plasma apparatus of the present invention.
The present invention provides a magnetically enhanced plasma apparatus and a magnetically enhanced plasma method, wherein the magnetically enhanced plasma apparatus and the magnetically enhanced plasma method provide enhanced plasma uniformity and enhanced ion energy control.
The magnetically enhanced plasma apparatus and the magnetically enhanced plasma method of the present invention realize the foregoing aspects within the context of a configurable magnetic field (CMF) magnetically enhanced plasma apparatus and a CMF magnetically enhanced plasma method (which provide for a repetitive and geometrically selective pulsing of a magnetic field within a reactor chamber from a first value of the magnetic field to a second value of the magnetic field), by coincident with the repetitive and geometrically selective pulsing of the magnetic field within the reactor chamber from the first value of the magnetic field to the second value of the magnetic field pulsing a radio frequency power within the reactor chamber from a first value of the radio frequency power to a second value of the radio frequency power.
A magnetically enhanced plasma apparatus in accord with the present invention is readily fabricated and a magnetically enhanced plasma method in accord with the present invention is readily commercially implemented.
The present invention employs apparatus and hardware as are generally known in the art of microelectronic fabrication, but assembled, programmed and operated in a fashion which provides at least in part the benefits of the present invention. Since it is thus at least in part an assembly, programming and operation of apparatus and hardware which provides at least in part the present invention, rather than the existence of apparatus and hardware which provides the present invention, the mag netically enhanced plasma apparatus of the present invention is readily fabricated and the magnetically enhanced plasma method of the present invention is readily commercially implemented.